


Would it Kill You to Care?

by MusicPlayer81



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Injury Recovery, Major Character Injury, Multi, None - Freeform, fraught mother-daughter relationships, tenzin is a very sweet boyfriend though, toph has no idea how to approach this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:41:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26624581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicPlayer81/pseuds/MusicPlayer81
Summary: Lin's in the healing bay after her sister cut her face open. Toph visits, which is nice...except for the fact that she doesn't seem to really care about anything other than the paperwork sitting on her desk.
Relationships: Lin Beifong/Tenzin
Comments: 3
Kudos: 60





	Would it Kill You to Care?

**Author's Note:**

> I've always imagined that's Lin's scars took much longer to heal than depicted on the show. This vignette shows one aspect of it. I hope you enjoy, please read and review!

The first thing Lin felt was the pain. Burning, aching, digging into her face.

_“I’m not letting you get away with this!”_

_“Oh, what are you going to do about it, Officer? Arrest me?”_

With a start, she woke up. Her eyes adjusting to the light streaming in through the nearby window, she found herself in a private healing bay, the same Katara always used for her on Air Temple Island. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a flash of saffron. She stiffly drew herself and turned her body to see Tenzin in a high-backed wooden chair, his head on his chest. “Hey, sleepyhead,” she croaked, trying to use her mouth as little as possible.

Tenzin immediately started. “Lin,” he breathed, kissing her on the forehead. “You’re awake.”

“So it seems,” she cracked, swelling the scream of pain that was threatening to claw its way out of her throat. She closed her eyes—

And felt a cooling sensation on her cheek. Her eyes fluttered open to find Tenzin holding a cloth to her skin.

“We’ve been keeping these by your bed,” Tenzin explained. “According to Kya they’re soaked in aloe vera and a bunch of other herbs that are good for keeping inflammation down and the wound clean. It’s also supposed to have some pain-killing benefits too.”

She took a deep breath. Bless her boyfriend for always knowing exactly what she needed.

“Lay back,” he soothed. “You shouldn’t be pushing yourself.”

She rested herself against the pillows and reached up to hold the cloth herself, her fingers brushing his. “Thank you,” she breathed.

Quiet settled over them. “How long have I been out?” She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“This time? About 15 hours.”

Lin quizzically raised an eyebrow. “This time?”

Tenzin looked away, his face drawn. “Mom said you might not remember. Lin, you’ve been here for over a week.”

She tipped her head back into the pillows. _“Fuck,”_ She swore. “Over a week? You’ve _got_ to be kidding me.”

Silence. Lin lifted her head up. “Tenzin?”

Tenzin’s focus was elsewhere. Lin followed it to find her mother standing in the doorway, arms crossed, her gaze off in the distance.

“Twinkletoes Junior, give us the room, will you?” Toph drawled.

The Airbender kissed Lin on the forehead once more and almost tripped on himself in his haste to leave. Lin noticed her mother’s eyebrow lift ever so slightly. The elder Beifong dragged the chair by Lin’s bedside and sat in it so that her arms were resting on the back of the chair. “So, you’re awake.”

This was how it was going to be, huh? “Yeah.” Lin paused for a moment. “Tenzin told me I’ve been out for over a week.”

“Mm-hmm. Got a pile of paperwork taller than Omashu on your desk. Some other stuff, too.”

The younger Beifong rolled her eyes. Of _course_ that’s how her mother would reply, why would she expect anything different—

“Su’s gone.”

Lin froze for a moment. “What?”

“Yep. Sent her to Gaoling the day after—you know—“

“She split my face open?”

“Yeah, Yeah, that.” After a second of silence, Toph tapped her bedspread and stood up. “Well, um, I have to get back to the station. You’ll join?”

 _Are you serious I can barely move my cheek without searing pain—_ “Katara hasn’t given me the go-ahead yet.”

“Ah. Right, right,” Toph said, nodding. She hesitantly reached out, then pulled her hand back. “Hopefully she’ll clear you soon.”

“Yeah. Yeah, maybe she will.”

Toph nodded more, then left the room, her methodical steps sounding down the halls. Once they faded completely, Lin’s face crumpled. Tenzin returned to find Lin quietly sobbing, her face hidden in her hands. Wordlessly he sat next to her and brought her into his arms, her tears wetting his robes.

Was it too much to ask for her mother’s comfort?  
  
Was it?


End file.
